This invention relates to card games and games of chance and more particularly for a method for playing a card game in which two columns of cards of given point value are dealt to each player and in which the player with the lowest point difference between the two columns of cards is the winner.
The popularity of card games is well established throughout the world and the majority of card games are played with a 52 or 53 card deck (counting the joker) in which cards are assigned a point value and a suit. The standard deck comprises 52 cards ranging from face cards, that is ace, queen, king and jack, down to a card with the value of two. The cards are assigned to four suits: spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. Such a deck of cards is referred to as a standard 52-card deck although the designation of suits and even the number of cards can vary from country to country and region to region. A few of the better-known card games include Bridge, Whist, Gin, Poker and variations thereof, Blackjack and Euchre. Many of these games, most notably Poker and Blackjack, have been adapted for casino wagering. In this connection casinos are most interested in new wagering games in which players play against the xe2x80x9chousexe2x80x9d as represented by an employee/dealer.
Preferably wagering should be exciting and relatively easy to learn while at the same time allowing the player to exercise some strategy in attempting to have the winning hand or beat the dealer. Card games such as Blackjack and Poker have these elements which accounts for the popularity of the wagering games played in casinos as well as xe2x80x9cfriendlyxe2x80x9d games outside of casinos.
The present invention provides a card game which is easily teamed, provides players with strategy opportunities, can be rapidly played and provides excitement for the players. The game is ideally suited to be played at home and for casino play, particularly since there is no need for the players to handle the cards. In addition, other games such as Three-Card Poker and Double Three-Card Poker can be played as integral elements of the basic game. The game of the invention provides opportunities for black or red side bets and for black and red parlay betting which adds additional excitement to the game.
More particularly in one embodiment the present invention comprises a method of playing a card game among a number of players. In the casino embodiment the players play against a dealer. The method includes the steps of determining the values of a standard 52 deck of playing cards having the following values: ace equals one or eleven; king equals one-half point; queen equals one-half point; jack equals one-half point; and all remaining cards have a point value equal to their face value. Each player is provided a first and a second column, referred to the black column and the red column and the cards are dealt to the black column and the red column of each of the players.
In the home play version, each Player bets an ante bet and after the first card has been dealt in each column, each player is given an opportunity to wager beginning with the Player whose numerical spread between the two column is least; the other players must meet the wager, raise in their turn, or fold. A player who decides not to bet has xe2x80x9cfoldedxe2x80x9d and is out of the game. Dealing is repeated until there are three cards in each player""s two columns. Unlike the casino version, additional wagering continues during the second and third round of dealing. Based on the assigned value to the cards, a spread between each player""s two columns is determined by totaling the value of the cards in each column and subtracting the lowest total from the highest total to arrive at the difference which is the spread. The winning hand is determined by comparing each player""s spread, the player with the lowest spread has the winning hand. The low spread wins the pot although when there is a tie the players who have tied will divide the pot.
In another aspect of the invention in which the game is played casino style, the dealer""s final two column spread must be at or below a predetermined number in order to qualify for contest play between the individual player""s hand and the dealer""s hand. Additional bets can be made that cards in either or both of a player""s columns will be dealt in a predetermined face value sequence or suit or suit color. Pay outs for winning hands are in accordance with a schedule predetermined by the casino. In the event the dealer fails to qualify, the house matches the player""s ante bet and returns all additional bets. Once the cards are dealt, the Dealer, beginning to the Dealer""s left and continuing in a clockwise direction, settles accounts with each Player in turn. The game of the present invention is highly suited for progressive wagering and the highest progressive and percentage pot progressive payoffs are so governed by a progressive pool pay out schedule and such payoffs are not split between hands of equal rank.
The game is played in a similar manner for its slot machine, video game, and scratch-off, and pull-tab versions and in that case, the value of the cards or their representations are randomly assigned as if dealt or by program simulating the deal. Such representations may include icons of sporting players, vehicles or racing animals.